Matt Le Tissier made a return to his playing days by turning out for Guernsey, but was unable to stop his side losing 4-2 at Colliers Wood.

The Southampton legend, 44, came off the bench in the second half after signing playing forms at the club where he is honorary president, to help with their incredible fixture list which sees the club in the middle of 20 games in 36 days.

Fit for purpose: Matt Le Tissier was unable to prevent Guernsey FC losing at Colliers Wood on his debut

Still got it: Le Tissier was back in action at the tender age of 44 years old

Rusty Le Tissier tries a trademark volley after chesting the ball down

It's the first time Le Tissier has played in an official game since 2002, when he retired after playing his entire career for the Saints.

Le Tissier made over 500 appearances in all competitions for the south-coast club, and won eight England caps.

Many fans feel he should have represented his country more times, having watched his incredible skills, passing and long-range screamers in the 1990s.

He is currently juggling turning out for Guernsey with being a pundit and co-commentator for Sky Sports.

Different class: Le Tissier wowed fans with his technique for Southampton throughout his 14 years at the club

LTA chief Draper to stand down in September after seven years at the helm

By
Mike Dickson

PUBLISHED:

15:50 GMT, 13 March 2013

|

UPDATED:

17:49 GMT, 13 March 2013

Roger Draper will depart the Lawn Tennis Association in September a wealthy man, leaving the leadership role of a sport that is still massively short of realising its potential at elite level or in terms of growing grass-roots participation.

The key to his departure, officially dressed up as a resignation, goes back several months with two significant factors: the arrival of a new independent Chairman at the LTA and the revelation for the first time of Draper’s extraordinary 640,000 salary and bonus package, that caused consternation both in tennis and British sport in general.

At the beginning of January David Gregson, a highly successful businessman whose public roles also include being a Director of the Olympic Legacy Board, was brought in from the outside to provide a sharper edge to the organisation’s governance.

On his way: Roger Draper will leave his role with the LTA in Septermber

He made it his first priority to
assess the position of Draper, who since his arrival in 2006 has been a
polarising figure in the British game and overseen a huge turnover in
staff but not a reduction in numbers, with a staggering 315 now
employed.

His many critics – and even a few
supporters – were stunned when December’s accounts showed that he was
paid a basic salary of 400,000, plus a pension contribution of 40,000
and, most controversially of all, a bonus of just over 200,000.

It was subsequently explained by LTA
President Peter Bretherton that this was for meeting certain targets.
Yet participation in recent years has flatlined overall and the rankings
of professional players have also been broadly been stagnant, bar the
exceptions of Andy Murray, Laura Robson and Heather Watson, none of whom
could be termed products of a repeatedly failed centralised system.

Active: Draper playing with Lord Rothermere at the LTA Tennis Centre

The reason for Draper’s remuneration
becoming public was a technical change to the corporate status of the
organisation which meant, for the first time, that the pay of the
highest earning director needed to be published.

The wheels of change in British
tennis usually turn painfully slowly but Gregson, who made his fortune
in the private equity business, has moved uncommonly fast in bringing
about the change of leadership, which will happen in September.

I understand there was a gathering of the LTA’s main board directors last week at which his future was discussed and he will be paid up until the expiry of his contract,
which was at the end of this year. It is also believed there was concern
from Wimbledon, which pumps its annual profits that exceed 30 million
into the British game, about what was happening at an organisation whose
annual salary costs under Draper have shot to more than 15 million.

Success: Andy Murray became a grand slam winner during Draper's time

Draper can take some credit for the
LTA’s commercial and sponsorship operation being considerably enhanced
over his tenure, and for bringing more of a certain energy to the place.
There have been some encouraging junior results but these have yet to
come close to any broader upswing in the performances at elite level.
Britain’s men’s number two, James Ward is ranked 209. The policy of
employing high profile and expensive foreign coaches brought no results
has been completely reversed.

Grass roots participation has been
level at best despite the huge funding from Wimbledon and government,
and the corrosive sense of ‘them and us’ between people in and outside
the LTA system is probably worse than ever.

But make no mistake, while there will
be many applicants for the Chief Executive’s position at a rich and
high-profile organisation, in a sport with so much potential for growth,
it is a very difficult job. The issues facing British tennis are deep
rooted, and the faint hearted should not apply.

Progress The British women's game, led by Laura Robson, has also improved

Santos dismiss Man City interest in Neymar as glum Brazilian makes low-key exit from London

By
Simon Jones

PUBLISHED:

21:50 GMT, 7 February 2013

|

UPDATED:

01:43 GMT, 8 February 2013

Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro has rejected the idea of selling his prize asset Neymar to Manchester City.

Following reports appearing in Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo on Thursday that City will offer a blank cheque for the Brazilian superstar, Ribeiro has rubbished suggestions he may seek to cash in.

On his way: Neymar at Heathrow on Thursday to catch a flight to Brazil

Anything to declare: Man City reportedly held talks with Neymar's agent in London

While he admitted it was 'not a lack of funds' that would prevent a sale to Manchester City, Ribeiro insists there is no amount of money he would accept from the Premier League champions.

'I anticipate my answer to any bids that might come: the answer is no,' he said. 'Neymar will stay at Santos until 2014, and I hope that he'll continue here for even longer.'

Despite his disappointing performance for Brazil in a 2-1 friendly defeat to England on Wednesday, Neymar is widely considered one of the world's most prestigious talents and has a long list of suitors.

And with Roberto Mancini's men trailing Manchester United in the title race, the Italian is keen to learn from the lessons of last summer – when his side were pipped to the signings of Robin Van Persie, Eden Hazard and Javi Martinez – by making an early move for the 21-year-old.

Santos dismiss Man City interest in Neymar as glum Brazilian makes low-key exit from London

By
Simon Jones

PUBLISHED:

21:50 GMT, 7 February 2013

|

UPDATED:

21:50 GMT, 7 February 2013

Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro has rejected the idea of selling his prize asset Neymar to Manchester City.

Following reports appearing in Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo on Thursday that City will offer a blank cheque for the Brazilian superstar, Ribeiro has rubbished suggestions he may seek to cash in.

On his way: Neymar at Heathrow on Thursday to catch a flight to Brazil

Anything to declare: Man City reportedly held talks with Neymar's agent in London

While he admitted it was 'not a lack of funds' that would prevent a sale to Manchester City, Ribeiro insists there is no amount of money he would accept from the Premier League champions.

'I anticipate my answer to any bids that might come: the answer is no,' he said. 'Neymar will stay at Santos until 2014, and I hope that he'll continue here for even longer.'

Despite his disappointing performance for Brazil in a 2-1 friendly defeat to England on Wednesday, Neymar is widely considered one of the world's most prestigious talents and has a long list of suitors.

And with Roberto Mancini's men trailing Manchester United in the title race, the Italian is keen to learn from the lessons of last summer – when his side were pipped to the signings of Robin Van Persie, Eden Hazard and Javi Martinez – by making an early move for the 21-year-old.

Sneijder finally leaves Inter… but Gerrard won't like that he's gone to Turkey, not Liverpool

By
Sportsmail Reporter

PUBLISHED:

21:29 GMT, 20 January 2013

|

UPDATED:

21:40 GMT, 20 January 2013

Galatasaray have agreed a deal to sign Holland midfielder Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan, the Turkish club have confirmed.

On Goals on Sunday Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said he would like to see Sneijder arrive at Anfield, but it appears his appeal was too late.

The 28-year-old has been locked in contract talks with Galatasaray since Inter accepted an 8.3 million bid for his services two weeks ago, and has put pen to paper on a deal believed to be worth 120,000-per-week.

Inter exit: Wesley Sneijder (pictured) who has been linked with Manchester United and Liverpool has joined Turkish club Galatasaray

A statement on galatasaray.org read: 'The transfer of Wesley Sneijder from Inter Milan has been agreed.

'The conditions of the deal will be made public and the player will sign the contract after health checks.'

Gerrard said: 'He's a top player we've seen at every major tournament, he delivers.

'He's done it in the Champions League for years.

'But we have to see on his wages, the man I think gets paid very well. He'll have all kinds of options, I'm sure.

'But I'd like nothing more than to see him in a red shirt. I think he'd be a fantastic player for Liverpool Football Club.'

A short conversation between Inter president Massimo Moratti and Sneijder was released on the Serie A club's website earlier this evening, in which both parties revealed the Dutch international was close to calling time on a successful spell at the San Siro.

Reports in Italy and Holland suggested Sneijder and his agent Soren Lerby met with Galatasaray director Lutfi Arigogan in a Milan hotel this evening to finalise the details of a three-and-a-half year contract.

Talent: Sneijder won the Champions League, was a World Cup finalist and made it into both the UEFA and FIFA teams of the year in 2010

Sneijder has not featured for the Nerazzurri since a 2-0 victory at Chievo in September after publicly refusing to take a two million euro pay cut on a contract that ran until June 2015.

Head coach Andrea Stramaccioni maintained the playmaker's absence from the first team was solely a tactical decision, despite Inter's clear difficulty in keeping pace with league leaders Juventus through an injury crisis.

This week saw Moratti urge Sneijder to make a 'professional' decision over his future in Milan, where he won the treble under Jose Mourinho in 2010. The pair cleared the air before Sneijder headed for decisive talks with representatives of the Super Lig leaders.

The Belarusian Beckham: Under 18 player scores from inside his own half!

By
Liv Lee

PUBLISHED:

17:55 GMT, 11 January 2013

|

UPDATED:

17:55 GMT, 11 January 2013

This 17-year-old probably wasn’t expecting to score this kind of goal when he stepped out against Belgium as part of the Belarusian Under 18 team this week.

Nikita Korzun lofted a strike so far over the goalkeeper’s head that he didn’t even bother taking a swipe at it as it sailed into the goal.

The Dinamo Minsk midfielder set his country’s team on their path to victory, and they eventually overcame Belgium 3-0.

Scroll down for video…

Master blaster: Korzun foires home from well inside his own half

It mimics David Beckham’s legendary goal against Wimbledon in 1996, when he spotted goalkeeper Neil Sullivan venturing a little too far off his line and lobbed the ball over his head from the halfway line.

The game between youngsters from Belarus and Belgium was part of the Valentin Granatkin Memorial, a international tournament for youth teams that was started in 1981.

It was created in memory of Valentin Granatkin, the former FIFA vice-president.

Wesley Sneijder is pining for a last-minute switch to England and has asked his advisers to make one final attempt to plot a move to a top Premier League club.

Despite being on the brink of a transfer to Galatasaray, the Inter Milan midfielder has made it clear to his agent that his preference remains a move to the English game.

Sneijder's representatives have been in talks with Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Chelsea but they all turned down the player because of his high wage demands.

Don't rule it out: Wesley Sneijder still fancies a move to the Premier League

He currently earns nearly 9million a year at the San Siro and has always refused to take a significant pay cut. But if a last-minute move to England can be resurrected, it would require the unsettled Holland star to finally lower his wage demands.

On Wednesday Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti confirmed an offer from Galatasaray has been accepted.

The Turkish side revealed they had entered in discussions for Sneijder, who has not played for Inter since September amid a public stand-off over a proposed pay cut to his contract.

Brilliant orange: Midfielder Sneijder has 90 caps for Holland

'Galatasaray's offer satisfies us. Now it depends on the player,' Moratti told Sky Sports on Wednesday. 'We would be happy if he decided to stay on our terms.'

Sneijder has reportedly been asked to accept a 1.6m pay cut to his annual salary with the Nerazzurri.

Inter head coach Andrea Stramaccioni has, however, maintained the the 28-year-old's continued absence from his first team is solely a tactical decision.

My decision: Andrea Stramaccioni has been leaving Sneijder out of the Inter team

A statement on the Turkish club's official website read: 'Galatasaray announces it has begun negotiations with FC Internazionale for the transfer of Wesley Sneijder.

'The public will be informed of developments.'

Sneijder joined Inter in August 2009 after winning La Liga with Real Madrid. In his first season he won the Champions League, Serie A and Coppa Italia before reaching the World Cup final with Holland, only to lose to Spain.

Bangladesh have called off their upcoming tour of Pakistan because of security concerns.

No international cricket has been played in Pakistan since the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked in Lahore in 2009.

Six Sri Lankan players were wounded when
gunmen opened fire on their coach as they were being driven to the Gaddafi Stadium for a Test match.

The news will be a bitter pill to swallow for Pakistan having recently resolved another major dispute to resume bilateral ties with India after five years.

Wounded: Six Sri Lankan players were hurt when their bus was shot at in Lahore in 2009

'Bangladesh will not visit Pakistan for now,' said Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan.

'We have noticed that the security situation in Pakistan has not improved significantly, (it has) rather deteriorated.

'In this circumstance, we think it will not be very wise to tour. We
have conveyed our decision to Pakistan already. We are observing the
situation. If the situation improves we will keep our commitment.

'We have made a commitment to travel to Pakistan but we believe that the security of players and officials are the most important thing.'

Pakistan have been playing 'home' series in the United Arab Emirates as well as hosting Australia in England in 2010 for two Tests and two Twenty20s.

They recently hosted two Twenty20s against a World XI featuring Sanath Jayasuriya and Andre Nel.